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Roy Hodgson is unlikely to ever attain Joachim Löw’s level of popular acclaim — the Germany coach has several tribute websites in his honour and his status as a national icon is shown by his close relationship with Chancellor Angela Merkel — but he is an avowed admirer of the man he will meet at Wembley next week. As is often the case with the well-connected Hodgson, their relationship goes back decades, to the England manager’s time as head coach of Switzerland.

Löw was coming towards the end of his playing career in the lower divisions of the Swiss league, and as